ABSTRACT
After the onset of British rule in 1842, inadequate laws, weak commitment to corruption prevention, social acceptance of corruption and a corrupt police force in charge of preventive measures meant that corruption became increasingly endemic. While bribery remained common, syndicated corruption gradually developed into a more serious problem. Corruption reached a peak in the 1960s and led to the adoption of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO) in 1971. The Godber affair in 1973, in which a senior police officer was found to be deeply involved in syndicated corruption, resulted in the creation of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) in 1974. The POBO and the ICAC have remained the cornerstones of Hong Kong’s efforts to control corruption ever since.
